Artistic rendering showcasing the formation of ‘sandwiched’ small planets between two larger ones.
University of Warwick/Mark A. Garlick
Scientists have made an intriguing new discovery shedding light on the occurrence of small planets positioned between two larger planets.
It is widely acknowledged that planets originate within proto-planetary discs encircling stars. These discs consist of gas and dust remnants generated during the star’s formation, which eventually clump together. However, the conventional theory suggests that planets form in a sequential manner, from the inner to the outer regions of the disc, with smaller planets closer to the star and larger planets farther away.
The Phenomenon of ‘Sandwich Planets’
Researchers from the University of Warwick, at the National Astronomy Meeting held at Cardiff University in Wales, UK, have presented evidence of numerous star systems featuring intermediate planets that are smaller than their neighboring planets. Their explanation, submitted to the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, revolves around the concept that small planets form within gaps and rings present within the proto-planetary discs, which are themselves created by the larger planets.
This recently observed phenomenon, named “sandwiched planet formation,” involves two larger planets within a star system generating rings of dust that provide ideal conditions for the formation of small planets.
The Significance of Gaps and Rings
These findings stem from new images of proto-planetary discs, which offer the first-ever glimpse of gaps and rings within them. Farzana Meru, an Associate Professor and Dorothy Hodgkin Fellow from the Department of Physics at the University of Warwick, explains, “The gaps are indicative of potential planet locations, and existing theoretical work confirms that planets cause the formation of dust rings just outside their positions. We propose that these rings serve as sites for planet formation…currently hosting sandwiched planets in the process of formation.”
This discovery marks a significant turning point in our understanding of planetary formation, largely driven by high-resolution images of planet-forming disks around stars captured by the ALMA Observatory (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) in Chile.
May you always have clear skies and an inquisitive gaze.
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